Highland Park actress remembered

Theater community joins family, friends in mourning Elana Silverstein

December 19, 2012|By Susan Berger, Special to the Tribune

Elana Silverstein and her daughter, Maya Blue. (Handout)

Elana Ernst Silverstein loved singing and dancing, performing in plays at Highland Park High School, and in "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. At 18 she toured the country with the Broadway hit "Mamma Mia!"

She had a voice that many described as stunning, pure and haunting, and quite amazing for someone so petite. Her sudden death on Dec. 10 left friends, family and the theater community reeling. She was 29.

Silverstein died after a routine surgery — the result of a medication reaction.

"She was as lovely as people spoke of her," said her mother, Tirza Ernst of Highland Park. "She had a spark of life in her that was unbelievable. At the hospital all the doctors and nurses were enthralled with her. They all broke down crying."

Every seat was taken at Silverstein's funeral at Congregation B'nai Tikvah in Deerfield last week.

A tremendous outpouring of love and grief appeared on Silverstein's Facebook page, so notable that Rabbi Alex Felch quoted many of the postings during the service:

"Her talent was inspiring … the indelible impact (she had) on the life of so many … that gorgeous voice in that compact beautiful body … her singing always seemed supernatural, impossible even ... her heart was incorruptible … as a performer and as a person she was the real deal."

Silverstein was supposed to leave for the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati after graduating high school in 2000, but postponed college to perform in "Bye, Bye Birdie" at the Marriott Theatre. She then left for a 10-month tour of "Mama Mia!" leaving the tour due to a paralyzed vocal cord.

Her mother said it took two years for her vocal cord to heal, and yet her college professors were amazed at her success with only one vocal cord.

Silverstein went on to perform with the Music Theatre Company of Highland Park and the Chicago Children's Theatre and also performed in "Gypsy" and "Annie Get Your Gun" at the Ravinia Festival as well as in shows at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater and Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.

She met her husband, David Silverstein, on an online matchmaking site. It was a fluke they found each other, he said, as he is 10 years older and lived in Minnesota. But they stumbled upon each other's profiles, and had texted for just 48 hours when Elana picked up the phone and called him.

"She's a go-getter," he said.

They married two years later and have a daughter, Maya Blue, who turned 1 on Dec. 11, the day after her mother's death.

"I have never met a better mom," David Silverstein said. "Everyone says they have never seen such a great baby. So much of our child is her personality. I am so grateful for every moment I had with Elana."

Bizar Entertainment, a DJ company that performs at bar and bat mitzvahs plans to honor Silverstein as well. Silverstein worked for the company starting at 16 and was the "the most requested dancer," said Dawn Bizar Berks, a close friend.

"There is a whole community of our staff from the past 13 years that are heartbroken," Bizar Berks said. "Elana danced at their bar mitzvahs and was such an inspiration. There are no words to convey how truly wonderful and special she was and how she touched so many."

David Silverstein shared a story at the funeral about how, after the surgery, every nurse told him how wonderful his wife is.

"I told Elana that people are saying all these fabulous things about you and they barely know you."

She smiled and said, "Good. I'm glad. I always wanted to live my life as a nice person."